Inspiration can come from anywhere, not least, the research and development process itself. We’re constantly experimenting in the Archie Rose distillery, uncovering innovative ways to showcase flavour profiles of the special, local botanicals and grains we source.

It was from this process that our latest limited release series was born. As Archie Rose Founder Will Edwards puts it, our Trials and Exceptions series is a way for us to share the research and development we do every single day in the distillery and get the general public involved in the process. It showcases the small-batch trials and exceptional casks that develop along the way.

Set to be one of the most diverse series we’ve ever released across all categories - inclusive of whisky, gin, vodka, rum, and other spirits, it will truly showcase the passion our distillers have for research and development that crosses traditional boundaries.

In line with our belief that a great whisky starts in the field, not the distillery, for our inaugural release in this series Sandigo Heritage Rye Malt Whisky, we’ve sourced a landrace rye grown by fourth-generation farmers. Over the past 60 years, this grain has grown near Sandigo, NSW, adapting to the harsh, changing Australian weather patterns and organically developed its own unique flavours, qualities, and agronomics. Staying true to our ongoing endeavour to choose ingredients that truly hero the intricacies of the regions where they’re grown.

view more about our latest release in the video below:

“The flavour of the rye is remarkably unique,” says Archie Rose Master Distiller, Dave Withers. “Raw and less refined, with a prominent herbal character, it offers notes of eucalyptus, tropical fruits and violets. We compared it to commercially available malts from Germany, USA, Canada and Australia and can say without a doubt, the character of this landrace malt is the most interesting and distinct among them.” There’s so much to tell about each spirit, each ingredient with their own unique story, so for the packaging design of this series, we looked to develop both a unique label and box to give ourselves the opportunity to really share that story and explain all the spirits production data, which carries on into the spirit data available on our website.

This new series is a ‘prime example of how we strive to work with Australian farmers to create really special releases driven by innovation and challenging the status quo,” says Edwards. ‘In what is still a typically traditional industry, we’re having lots of fun seeking out new ingredients and raw materials and developing production techniques to push the boundaries and show what’s possible in distillation.”

ARCHIE ROSE SANDIGO HERITAGE RYE MALT WHISKY WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM GREAT BARS, INDEPENDENT BOTTLE SHOPS AND AS ALWAYS AT THE ARCHIE ROSE BAR AND ARCHIEROSE.COM.AU FROM 30 MARCH (WHILE STOCKS LAST). ENTER THE BALLOT OPEN UNTIL 9AM 25 MARCH TO BE FIRST IN LINE TO RECEIVE A BOTTLE AHEAD OF LAUNCH.